Tag Archives: Jerry Lawler

Oh, rats! The legendary Nathaniel Whitlock drives by Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ to talk rasslin’, rats, and a little rock ‘n’ roll with Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last™.

You’ll hear the incredible true story of how wrestling an alligator led to the nefarious manager’s big break in the business; background on Nate’s famous brother and his infamous first cousin; his ambitious idea to promote an AWA World title bout between Nick Bockwinkel and Jerry Lawler on a cruise ship sailing the Southern Seas; memories of managing future WWE stars The Godfather (Soul Taker) and The Undertaker (Master of Pain); recollections of trading shots with Stan “the Lariat” Hansen; and fond memories of getting rediscovered in his cab while picking up Northeast promoter Dennis Coralluzzo at Memphis International Airport.

Out of the kindness of his heart, the legendary Louisville Slugger himself, Jim Cornette, drops by the KFR podcast after everyone from Randy Hales to Reggie B. Fine disrespectfully declines to appear.

The manager of such good Christian athletes as the Midnight Express and Mantaur, Corny joins Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last™ for a lively 90-minute Broadway, discussing such extra-crispy topics as his favorite wrestler as a kid, a ’75 showdown with heels Jerry Lawler & Lou Thesz vs Ricky Gibson & Jerry Jarrett w/Jackie Fargo at the Louisville Gardens, and the young photographer’s first assignment at the Mid-South Coliseum alongside another budding photojournalist named Eddie Gilbert.

The two former Memphis managers also share their conflicting memories of the night the WFIA (Wrestling Fans International Association) witnessed the Fabulous Freebirds spread their wings and fly to the ring as their Skynyrd anthem played over the PA for the very first time in the House that Lawler Built.

With the Louisville Lip onboard, it doesn’t get any juicier than this, so be there right alongside for another BIG day of Kentucky Fried Rasslin’!

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Buckle up for a wild-and-wooly ride, as Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ is proud to welcome the longtime meteorologist for the number-one newscast in Memphis and one half of the greatest wrestling announce team of all time, the legendary Dave Brown!

Join hosts Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last as Dave discusses his start in the business, making the transition from radio to TV. Bowden also talks with Dave about the special bond between the Memphis wrestling promotion and the fans, and why the live TV show from the WMC-TV 5 studio did such incredible numbers in the early ’80s, becoming the city’s number-one rated show at one point—ahead of network prime-time powerhouses Dallas and Dynasty.

Dave also shares a story of how he and Lance narrowly avoided the wrath of ICW World champion Randy “Macho Man” Savage outside Lexington’s Rupp Arena. You’ll also gain insight into Dave’s feelings on everyone from Nick Gulas to Jerry Jarrett to Jerry Lawler to a young punk from Germantown who never knew when to keep his mouth shut. (Some things never change.) It’s our longest episode to date, so be there right along ringside for another BIG week of Kentucky Fried Rasslin’!

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

When Scott Bowden got married a decade ago, he never dreamed he’d be spending his 10-year-anniversary with iconic Memphis wrestling announcer Dave Brown. The two former on-air adversaries of the USWA recently reunited over burgers shortly after Bowden traveled from LA to his hometown for his sister’s funeral.

While there have been countless features on the late, great Lance Russell, the talented sidekick of ol’ Banana Nose is often underappreciated on a national level because Brown was so subtle in his cool delivery and subtle mannerisms. Brown was so smooth, he made it look easy to maintain his credibility in the wild and wooly world of Memphis wrestling.

Bowden and his own loyal sidekick, The Great Brian Last, discuss what made Brown the perfect complement to Russell and spotlight some of the best moments featuring the city’s top weatherman, who picked up the role of the straight man to a heel King Lawler without missing a beat after Russell left for WCW. Bowden also reveals what really happened that day of the infamous angle with Randy Hales that nearly got the arrogant young manager thrown off the air by Brown, and how he wound up back in the doghouse shortly after the initial heat between the two was seemingly hit with a cold front. Join us right alongside for another BIG week of Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ as we honor the greatest wrestling announcer duo in history.

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last make a triumphant return right alongside ringside, coming to you from Memphis. This week, Germantown’s number-one son serves as the Ghost of Christmas Past, taking you on a wild and wooly journey back to heart-stopping holiday shows he attended at the Mid-South Coliseum—the home of the biggest bouts and most intense beatings of the seasons.

Bowden has also stuffed your proverbial stocking with his memories of the first-ever babyface appearance of Austin Idol in the territory, the Memphis debuts of Randy “Macho Man” Savage and The Road Warriors—on the same Monday night no less—and the best bout he ever saw between the King of Memphis and the King of the World, Nick Bockwinkel.

Bowden then travels back to the 1975 for Jerry Lawler’s first babyface promo as a challenger to the World throne—a bout so important, Sam Muchnick himself signed it at the behest of NWA kingpin Jack Brisco. Scott also asks legendary promoter Jerry Jarrett to rate Brisco against the other NWA World champions who defended their laurels in Memphis, most notably, Lou Thesz.

No matter if you’ve been a heel or a babyface (fine line there) this year.this action-packed episode is small-packaged, gift-wrapped and ready to go—so open it already, and experience the true meaning of the season in Memphis!

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last team to unmask one of the ghastly Ghosts of Memphis Wrestling’s past, The Christmas Creature. Hailing from the North Memphis Pole, the Yuletide Terror was the first in a long series of…interesting… gimmicks for Glenn Jacobs, who would finally carve out his niche as The Undertaker’s brother, Kane, and go to enjoy multiple reigns as WWE World champion and World tag-team titleholder. Joining us from Memphis will be Kevin Lawler—son of the King—the man who created the Christmas Creature gimmick, who reveals how one the most memorable Memphis monsters in history came to be. We’ll also have the referee who officiated this monstrosity of a match between this overgrown, haunted Christmas tree come to life and the King of Memphis way back in December 1992. “I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight, ‘Miserable Christmas to all and to all a good fright.'”

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Hosts Scott Bowden and Brian Last celebrate the holiday season with some quality family time—a no-holds-barred discussion regarding the formation of Jimmy Hart’s notorious stable of heels, the First Family of Professional Rasslin’, baby! Sing it with us now: We are family…Kevin, Wayne, Chick and Jimmy!

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

This week’s KFR is a family-sized bucket of extra crispy, original rasslin’ goodness packed with rare classic audio from the WHBQ wrestling days. Our adventure begins in February 1975, when Jerry Lawler has been forced into exile by promoter Jerry Jarrett after the King’s head had gotten too big for his crown. After a hot summer led by the silent-but-deadly Mongolian Stomper fending off pretenders to the Southern throne, attendance begins to cool as winter is coming, leading to the return of the fire-throwin’ Mad King of Memphis as a heel. Along the way, the Stomper learns a valuable lesson when he cuts an ill-advised promo without manager Bearcat Wright: Silence is Gouldie.

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

World’s collide on this week’s Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ podcast when investigative journalists Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last uncover Jerry Jarrett’s plans to unify the CWA and AWA World titles in 1980.
Fresh off unraveling the Mummy last week, KFR’s crack archeologists also discover the first-ever dueling promos on WHBQ between Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee, hyping their initial monumental clash advertised as the main event at the Mid-South Coliseum on December 8, 1975. These classic interviews have not been aired in 40-plus years!
Plus, you’ll learn the hard way that love can be a fickle, pickle-eating, overweight mistress wearing undersized Jerry Lawler T-shirts when the romance between the babyface King and the hometown faithful ends nearly as quickly as a Pat Hutchinson squash match as 1975 draws to a close.

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Join “Scary” Scott Bowden and “The Ghost” Brian Last as they unearth rare terrifying WHBQ audio of the betrayal of Jerry Lawler at the diabolical hands of manager Sam Bass in October 1974. Thrill to the action of the King of Memphis forming an unlikely alliance to battle Bass’s monster from Memphis, Egypt, as they team to unravel the mystery of The Mummy once and for all! Brought to you by the infamous master of the undead, WHBQ’s Sivad!

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.